Integration Techniques Summary

1. List of basic formulas:

Function

Integrated Result

ax n

ax n + 1
n+ 1

(ax + b) n

(ax + b) n + 1
( a ) (n + 1)

[ f ' ( x)][ f ( x)] n

[ f ( x )] n + 1
n+ 1

[ f ' ( x )]
2
+ [ f ( x )]

1
f ( x)
tan 1
a
a

[ f ' ( x )]
[ f ( x )] 2 a 2

1
f ( x) a
ln
2a f ( x ) + a

[ f ' ( x )]
2
[ f ( x )]

1
a + f ( x)
ln
2a a f ( x )

[ f ' ( x)]
2
a [ f ( x)]

f ( x)
sin 1
a

f ' ( x) a f ( x )

1 f ( x)
a
ln a

f ' ( x )e f ( x )

e f ( x)

f ' ( x)
f ( x)

ln | f ( x) |

Function

Integrated Result

f ' ( x) cos[ f ( x )]

sin [ f ( x)]

f ' ( x) sin[ f ( x)]

cos[ f ( x )]
tan[ f ( x)]

f ' ( x) sec 2 [ f ( x)]

cot[ f ( x)]

f ' ( x) cos ec 2 [ f ( x)]

f ' ( x) cos ec[ f ( x)] cot[ f ( x )]

cos ec[ f ( x)]

tan x

ln | cos x |

cot x

ln | sin x |

sec x

ln | sec x + tan x |

cos ecx

ln | cos ecx cot x |

2. Miscellaneous trigonometric integrals:

n
n
a. sin xdx and cos xdx :

If n is odd, separate a single sin x or cos x from the original function, and use the
identity sin 2 x + cos 2 x = 1 .
Example:

sin

xdx =

(sin x )( sin x ) dx = (1 cos

2

x)(sin x)dx

cos 3 x
+ C (shown)
3
If n is even, use the double angle formula of either cos 2 x = 2 cos 2 x 1 or
cos 2 x = 1 2 sin 2 x for conversion.
= sin x cos 2 x sin xdx = cos x +

2
Example: cos xdx =
n
b. tan xdx :

cos 2 x + 1
1
1
dx = sin 2 x + x + C (shown)
2
4
2

Separate tan 2 x from the original function, and use the identity 1 + tan 2 x = sec 2 x .

Example:

tan

( tan x )( tan x )dx = (sec x 1)( tan x )dx

= sec x tan x tan xdx
= sec x tan x tan x(tan x)dx
= sec x tan x ( sec x 1)(tan x)dx
= sec x tan x sec x tan x + tan xdx

xdx =

1
1
4
2
= tan x tan x ln | cos x | + C (shown)
4
2
c. sin(mx) sin( nx)dx or sin( mx) cos(nx)dx or cos(mx) cos(nx )dx :
Use one of the 3 identities below to transform the product to a sum or difference:
1
{ sin[ ( m + n ) x] + sin[ ( m n ) x]}
2
1
(ii) sin( mx) sin( nx) = { cos[ ( m n ) x ] cos[ ( m + n ) x ]}
2
1
(iii) cos(mx) cos(nx) = { cos[ ( m n ) x ] + cos[ ( m + n ) x ]}
2
(i) sin( mx) cos(nx) =

Example: cos 3 x cos xdx =

1
1
1
cos 4 x + cos 2 xdx = sin 4 x + sin 2 x + C (shown)

2
8
4

3. Integration via substitution:

Generally, to find an integral by means of a substitution x = f (u ),
dx
= f ' (u ) dx = f ' (u )du
(i) Differentiate x wrt u to arrive at
du
(ii) Subsequently replace all x by f (u ) and dx by f ' (u ) du
(iii) Perform the integration and remember to convert the result back to x
for an indefinite integral ( not needed for definite integrals)
Example: Evaluate

dx
x2 x + 1

dx
x x+ 1
1
2

1
(x )2 + (
2
1
Using the substitution x =
2

by considering the substitution x

dx
3 2
)
2
3
tan , the integral becomes
2

1
3
=
tan .
2
2

3
3
2
tan
4
4

3 sec d

3
sec )d
= (sec )d
2

3
sec
2
2
3
1
2
1
[
+ (x )2 ] +
( x ) | +C (shown)
= ln | sec + tan | + C =ln |
2
2
3 4
3

3
1
+ (x )2
4
2

1
2

3
2
4. Integration by parts:

uv' dx =

uv u ' vdx where u is a function which can be differentiated and v is

a function that can be easily reduced via integration. Note that integration by parts
is only feasible if out of the product of two functions, at least one is directly
integrable.

Example:

x2
x sin ( x )dx = (sin 1 x 2 )
2
1

x2
2

x2
=
2
=

x2
2

x2
1
2 ( 1 x 4 )(2 x)dx
x3
(sin 1 x 2 ) (
)dx
1 x4
2
1
4x3
(sin 1 x 2 ) (
)dx = x (sin 1 x 2 ) 1 (2) 1 x 4 + C
4
2
4
1 x4
1
(sin 1 x 2 )
1 x 4 + C (shown)
2

5. Integrals of the form

ax

cx + d
dx
+ bx + c

cx + d
P (2ax + b) + Q
P (2ax + b)
Q
dx as
= 2
+
dx ,
2
2
+ bx + c
ax + bx + c
ax + bx + c ax + bx + c
where 2ax + b is clearly the derivative of ax 2 + bx + c .

(i) Rewrite

(ii)

ax

P (2ax + b)
gives P ln | ax 2 + bx + c |
2
+ bx + c

ax

(iii)

ax

Example:

Q
dx can be easily integrated via completing the square method for
+ bx + c
the denominator.

x 1
1
2x + 1
3
1
dx = 2
dx 2
dx
2 x + x+ 1
2 x + x+ 1
x + x+ 1
2

1
3
1
ln | x 2 + x + 1 |
2
2
=2
1
x
+

+
2

1
3 1
2
= 2 ln | x + x + 1 | 2
3

dx

1
x+
2 + C
tan 1
3

1
2
1 2x + 1
+ C (shown)
= ln | x + x + 1 | 3 tan
2
3

6. Integrals of the form

(i) Rewrite

cx 2 + dx + e
dx
ax 2 + bx + c

cx 2 + dx + e
dx =
ax 2 + bx + c

P ax 2 + bx + c + Q(2ax + b) + R
dx
ax 2 + bx + c

Q(2ax + b)
R
+
dx
2
2
ax + bx + c ax + bx + c
Q(2ax + b)
R
= Px + 2
+
dx
2
ax + bx + c ax + bx + c
where 2ax + b is clearly the derivative of ax 2 + bx + c .
= P +

Q(2ax + b)
gives Q ln | ax 2 + bx + c |
2
+ bx + c
R
dx can be easily integrated via completing the square method for
2
ax + bx + c
the denominator.

(ii)

ax

(iii)

2x 2 + 4x + 1
2 x 2 + x + 1 + (2 x + 1) 2
Example:
dx =
dx
x2 + x + 1
x2 + x + 1
2x + 1
2
= 2x + 2
2
dx
x + x+ 1 x + x+ 1

2 x + ln | x 2 + x + 1 | 2

1
3
1

x + +

2
2

dx

x+
1
2 + C
tan 1
= 2 x + ln | x 2 + x + 1 | 2

3
3

2
2
2
= 2 x + ln | x + x + 1 |

2x + 1
tan 1
+ C (shown)
3
3